By Nkechi Eze
The Nigerian Communications Commission has acknowledged growing public concerns over the quality of telecommunications services across parts of the country, while assuring Nigerians that ongoing nationwide network expansion and regulatory enforcement measures will deliver significant improvements in service quality.
According to an official signed statement by the Head of Public Affairs at the NCC, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, the Commission recognises the frustration experienced by consumers over dropped calls, slow internet speeds, unstable data services, and other disruptions affecting daily communication and digital activities.
The Commission noted that telecommunications services have become central to economic activities, education, business operations, access to essential services, and social connectivity, stressing that consumers deserve reliable services and value for money.
The statement explained that improving Quality of Service has remained a major regulatory priority for the NCC over the past two years, with intensified monitoring of Mobile Network Operators, Internet Service Providers, and Tower Companies, alongside strengthened data-driven oversight and engagement with critical stakeholders to address structural challenges affecting service delivery.
According to the Commission, the telecommunications sector is currently witnessing one of its most extensive infrastructure expansion and modernisation exercises in recent years following a prolonged period of under-investment.
The NCC disclosed that Mobile Network Operators invested more than N2.13 trillion in network infrastructure and upgrades in 2025, while Tower Companies committed an additional N373.8 billion to support sector-wide improvements.
It stated that the investments enabled the addition and upgrade of over 2,800 telecommunications sites nationwide to bridge coverage and capacity gaps in several locations.
The Commission said the interventions included deployment of additional 4G and 5G layers on existing sites, fibre backhaul expansion, targeted infrastructure deployment in high-demand urban centres, rollout into underserved communities, and general network equipment upgrades.
While commending the scale of investments, the NCC maintained that operators must ensure the investments translate into visible and measurable improvements for consumers.
The statement further revealed that the network expansion drive is continuing aggressively in 2026 to meet the demands of Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital ecosystem and increasing data consumption.
According to the Commission, industry players have committed to the addition and upgrade of over 12,000 sites within the year, with close to 3,000 already completed.
The NCC also disclosed that more than 730 additional 5G sites have already been deployed across 27 states in 2026 as part of efforts to accelerate next-generation infrastructure rollout nationwide.
In addition, the Commission said it facilitated the reallocation and restructuring of underutilised radio spectrum among the three major Mobile Network Operators in line with its Spectrum Trading Guidelines to improve spectral efficiency, network capacity, and overall service performance.
The Commission stated that its Quality of Service and Quality of Experience assessments, conducted through crowdsourced and field-based analytics, indicate gradual improvements in network coverage, capacity, and average data download speeds across several parts of the country.
It noted that as subscribers increasingly migrate to 4G networks, national 4G penetration has risen from 45 per cent in January 2024 to 54 per cent currently, while national median download speeds improved from 16.5Mbps to 20Mbps within the same period.
According to the NCC, power availability at telecom tower sites also improved from a national average of 99.3 per cent in January 2025 to 99.7 per cent currently, particularly in locations where recent upgrades and deployments have been completed.
Despite the progress recorded, the Commission admitted that improvement must become faster and more consistent, especially in areas where consumers still experience poor call quality, congestion, slow internet speeds, and unstable services.
The NCC disclosed that it is currently conducting an advanced market study aimed at creating a wholesale broadband market segment that would enable smaller and more localised Internet Service Providers to expand affordable internet penetration to homes, schools, businesses, and public institutions.
The Commission said the initiative complements broader government-backed digital infrastructure projects, including Project BRIDGE.
On challenges affecting network performance, the NCC identified frequent fibre cuts, vandalism of telecom infrastructure, theft at network sites, power-related disruptions, and denial of access for maintenance operations as major threats to service quality.
It revealed that more than 27,000 avoidable fibre-cut incidents linked mainly to road construction activities and vandalism were recorded nationwide in 2025 alone, with direct consequences on service availability and consumer experience.
The Commission stated that it is collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other stakeholders to fully implement the Presidential Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure.
According to the statement, the collaboration has already disrupted organised syndicates involved in the theft and resale of telecom equipment, while ongoing engagements with Federal and State Ministries of Works are aimed at reducing avoidable fibre cuts arising from road construction projects.
To strengthen transparency and consumer protection, the NCC said operators have now been mandated to notify consumers promptly whenever major service outages occur and restore affected services within stipulated timelines.
The Commission added that details of major incidents are published on its outage reporting portal.
The statement further noted that enforcement of the updated Quality of Service Regulations 2024 commenced in November 2025 after operators were granted a transition period to procure and deploy required equipment nationwide.
According to the Commission, enforcement measures now include consumer compensation for poor service delivery and additional investment obligations on Tower Companies where service failures are identified.
The NCC warned that regulatory sanctions and escalated enforcement actions would continue against operators that fail to deliver measurable improvements in service quality.
The Commission commended the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the National Assembly, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and other stakeholders for supporting efforts to improve telecommunications services nationwide.
It also called on federal, state, and local governments, as well as host communities, to support the protection of telecommunications infrastructure and create an enabling environment for sustained investments in the sector.
The NCC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that Nigerians enjoy reliable, affordable, and high-quality telecommunications services, stressing that operators must now deliver tangible and measurable improvements in the interest of consumers and the nation’s digital economy.
